Paper machinery



May 30, 1961 J. BAXTER, JR 2,986,434

PAPER MACHINERY 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 13. 1957 FIG-1 35 2s I00 FIG 3 68 46 J/l :02 62 52 7 5C INVENTOR.

JOSEPH BAXTER JR.

J BY 35 WW Ma 1 /ATTORNEYS y 30, 1961 J. BAXTER, JR 2,986,434

PAPER MACHINERY 7 Original Filed Feb. 13. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-5 85 75 86 50 92 73. INVENTOR JOSEPH BAXTER,JR.

ATTORNEY May 30, 1961 J. BAXTER, JR

PAPER MACHINERY Griginal Filed Feb. 13. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG-H 2 32 IN VEN TOR.

JOSEPH BAXTER, JR.

22 ATTORNEYS tates PAPER MACHINERY Joseph Baxter, Jn, Franklin, Ohio, assignor to The Black- Cigwson Company, Hamilton, Ohio, a corporation of Claims. (Cl. 308-487) This application is a division of application Serial No. 640,030, filed February 13, 1957, now Patent No. 2,930,- 534, issued March 29, 1960.

This invention relates to refining apparatus for paper making stock and the like.

It is a primary object of the invention of provide such refining apparatus which is of large size and capacity and which at the same time is of notably simple structural characteristics facilitating its construction, operation and maintenance while also having minimum space requirements and offering great versatility in its mode of operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drive assembly having desirable advantages for a refiner of the type outlined above which is characterized by the simplicity and efficiency of the lubricating system for its main bearings, and particularly which is so constructed that the entire drive shaft assembly can be lifted out of its supporting structure for maintenance and replacement without the necessity for disconnection of any lubricant lines or fittings.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. l is a view partly in side elevation and partly broken away in vertical section, as indicated by the line 1--1 of Fig. 2, showing a refiner constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevationalview looking from left to right in Fig. 1;

'Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragment of Fig. 1 illustrating details of the adjustable mounting of one of the stationary work plates in the housing;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one side of the rotor in the apparatus of Fig. 1 to show the construction and mounting arrangement of the refining plates;

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 respectively of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view in the nature of a per.- spective illustrating the drive for effecting adjusting movement of the stationary work plates with respect to the rotor in the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is an end elevational view illustrating piping connections to one end of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2 in cooperation with a junk trapping mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing alternative piping connections;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section through the thrust bearing assembly and supporting structure for the drive shaft of the refiner of Fig. l; and

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 of the radial bearing assembly and supporting structure for the drive shaft of the refiner of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, the main base of the apparatus is indicated at 15, and a gear box 16 is bolted rigidly to one end of base 15, to form in effect a part thereof. Two pedestals 20 and 21 are rigidly mountatent ed on the base 15 and support the main drive shaft 22,

which projects beyond the pedestal in overhangingrela tion with the base and carries the rotor 25 of the refining unit. The support for the shaft 22 in the pedestals is provided by a large thrust bearing assembly 26 in pedestal 20 and a large radial bearing assembly 27 in pedestal '21 ofsuificient capacity to withstand all the loadimposed on the shaft during operation of the refiner. The pedestal 20 also houses a lubricating system for both bearings which includes a pump unit 28 and lubricant lines shown fragmentarily at 29, as described in detail hereinafter in connection with Figs. 10 and 11.

The main drive motor for the refiner is also supported entirely by the pedestals 20 and 21 and is shown'as of the inside-out type including a rotor 30 keyed on shaft 22 and a stator 31 bolted at 32 to the pedestal 20. The cover 33 for the motor includes provisions at 34 for the intake of cooling air, and air outlet openings 35 through the I Endcovers 44 and 45 which may be of identical construction are in turn secured by bolts 46 to the housing sections 41 and cooperate therewith to define the refining chamber which encloses the rotor 25. The drive shaft 22 extends through the cover and is provided with a suitable packing box and gland assembly 47, and

the corresponding opening at the end cover 44 is closed by a cover plate 48. A propeller 49 is shown on the end of shaft 22 for assuring adequate agitation of the stock adjacent the cover plate 48.

The refining chamber also houses a pair of annular stationary work plates 50 and 51 of identical construction which carry refining plates 52 for cooperation with a similar refining plates 55 on the two sides of the motor 25. The pattern of the working surfaces of the refining plates 52 and 55 is indicated at 56 and may take a variety of suitable conventional forms. The work plates 50 and 51 are mounted for adjustment within the housing axially of shaft 22 to vary the working clearances between the opposed twosets of work plates 52 and 55, Referring particularly to Fig. 3, a ring 60 is secured as by bolts 61 to the plate 50, and the outer surface of ring 60 is threaded for engagement with the complementary internally threaded surface of an annular supporting member 62 which is secured to the housing sections 40-41 and the end cover 44 by the bolts 46. The work plate 51 is provided with a similar pair of complementary adjusting and supporting members 65 and 66.

With this construction, threaded movement of the member 60 on supporting member 62 will cause the work plate 50 to moveaxially of shaft 22 and thus produce the desired variation of the clearance between the refining plates 52 thereon and the opposed set of refining plates 55 on the rotor 25. Simple and efiective seals are pro-.

Figs. 4-6 illustrate the means in accordance with the invention for mounting the plates 55 on the rotor 25, and similar means are also used for mounting the refining 1 plates 52 on the stationary work plates 50 and 51. Each refining plate 55 is of generally sector shape and'is Patented May 30, 1 961 provided with serrated edges 70 inter'fitting with the complementary edges of the adjacent refining plates. Each refining plate 55 has cast therein a pair of inserts 71 each having a hexagonal head and a ribbed shank portion 72'for positive interlocking with the body of the plate.

The'headsof inserts71 lie flush with the inner surface of the plates 55, and each insert is also provided with a tapped through bore 73. The parts 74 in Fig. 4 are balancing inserts which may be filled with lead to varying extents required for proper balancing.

The rotor has an annular rib or land 75 near the outer periphery of each side thereof, and the head 72 of each insert 71 is provided with a complementary groove 76 for interfitt-ing with this rib. The remaining inner surface of each plate is provided with a similar grooveiThavingalesser inner diameter and greater outer diameter thanthe rib to prevent interference with the proper engagement of rib 75in the grooves 76 which locates the refining plates radially on the rotor. The grooves 76 are preferably of slightly greater radial dimensions than the rib 75 to facilitate assembly of the part, and during operation of the unit, centrifugal force will tend to hold the inner rim of each groove 76 against the inner rim of the rib 75.

Provision is also made for positively locking the plates 55 against axial movement with respect to the rotor 25. The rotor is provided with a plurality of through bores 80 located to coincide with all of the respective bores 73 in the inserts 71. An additional pair of bores 81 extend radially into each bore 80 from the outer periphery of the rotor. A lock screw 85 is threaded into each of the bores 73, and it has an enlarged head provided with a circumferental groove 86 having tapered sides. The head of the screw 85 is of the proper dimensions for slip fitting into one of the bores 80, and a lock screw 87 is threaded into the adjacent bore 81 to provide cam action locking engagement of its tapered lower end with the groove 86, An additional lock screw 88 is threaded in the outer end of each bore 81 to lock against the outer end of the screw 87 therein.

This construction of the rotor and refining plates is duplicated on both sides of the rotor and also on the inner surface and outer periphery of each of the stationary Work plates 50 and 51, as is indicated by the bores 90 and 91 and the rib or land 92 on the work plate 50 in Fig. 5. This construction and arrangement not only provides simple positive locating and maintaining of all the refining plates in proper position, but it greatly facilitates their exchange or replacement, since the locking screws 87 and 88 are accessible from the outer periphery of the rotor and stationary work plates, and after these screws have been loosened, it is necessary only to back the work plates oif sufiiciently from the rotor to provide clearance equal to the axial dimensions of the heads of the screws 85.

The drive for effecting adjusting movement of the work plates 50 and 51 with respect to the rotor 25 is best seen in Fig. 7, and it includes a drive unit identified generally as 99 which may elfectively be of the structural and operational characteristics disclosed in Staege et al. Reissue Patent Re. 24,185, issued July 24, 1956, to the assignee of this application. This drive is ultimately transmitted to plates 50 and 51 through ring gears 100 and 101 secured to the back surfaces of plates 50 and 51 respectively by means of bolts 102 (Fig. 3). The drive shaft 103 of the drive unit 99 includes a spur gear 104 meshing simultaneously with a pair of gears 105 and 106 from which the drive is separately transmitted to the gears 100 and 101.

The gear 105 is on a shaft 109 connected through a clutch 110 with a shaft 111 carrying a cone gear 112. This gear 112 in turn meshes with a worm gear 113'connected with or otherwise driving a spur gear 114 meshingwith an idler 115 which is also in mesh with the ring gear 100. The clutch 110 is shown as operatedby clutch on a shaft 119 and located as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 on the end of the gear box 16 which houses this transmission.

The gear 106 is mounted on a shaft 119 which is connected through a clutch 120 with a shaft 121 carrying a cone gear 122 meshing with a worm gear 123. The worm gear 123 carries or otherwise drives a spur gear 124 which is in turn connected through an idler 125 with the gear 101. The clutch 120 is operated by clutch shoes 126 which are also actuated from the handle 118 in such manner that the clutches 110 and 120 may be engaged or disengaged simultaneously. The cone gears 112 and 122 are indicated'as of opposite bands to effect driving of the gears 100 and 101 in opposite directions for simultaneous movement of the work plates 50 and 52 towards or away from the rotor 25. Furthermore, such adjusting movement can be efiectecl automatically during operation of the unit to maintain constant refining conditions by connecting the drive unit 99 with the power circuits for the motor 30-31 for actuation in response to changes in the load onthe refiner as disclosed in the above Patent Re. 24,185.

Provision is made for optional manual adjustment of either of the work plates 50 and 51 separately from the other, as may be desired for purposes such as to establish a greater working clearance between one pair of sets of refining plates than the other pair in order to maintain different refining conditions at the two working stages of the apparatus. As shown in Fig. 7, the shaft 111 carries a gear 130 near its forward end, and the shaft 121 carries a similar gear 131 which is axially offset from the gear 130. The shaft 121 also carries an idler gear 132 of the same size as gears 130 and 131 which is aligned with but spaced from the gear 130.

A hand Wheel 135 is mounted outside the gear box 16 on a shaft 136 which in turn carries a spur gear 137 adapted to mesh with the gears 130, 131 and 132. The shaft 136 is mounted for axial movement to the extent required to establish meshing engagement of gear 137 with either of gears 130 and 131 individually, and also gear 137 is of suflicient axial extent to mesh with both of gears 130 and 131 simultaneously if it is desired to effect manual adjustment of both work plates simultaneously. During any such manual adjustment, the clutches 110 and 120 are disengaged.

As previously noted, exchange or replacement of any of the refining plates 55 requires initially that one or both of the work plates 50 and 51, depending upon the refining plates to be changed, be backed off from the rotor sufficiently to provide the necessary axial clearance for removal of the refining plates. Provision is accordingly made for rapid adjusting movement of both of the work plates by means of a gear 140 on a shaft 141 which projects through the front of the gear box 16 and is provided with means such as a squared outer end 142 for attachment to an air motor or other convenient power or manual drive (not shown). The gear 140 meshes with the idler 132, and when this drive is to be used, the hand wheel 135 is adjusted to the position wherein the gear 137 meshes with both of gears 130 and 131 to transmit thereto the drive from the idler 132.

The invention provides a selection of piping connections to and from the apparatus, depending not only on the layout of the installation but also on the refining conditions desired. Thus as previously noted, the end covers 44 and 45 are shown as of identical construction, and each is constructed to provide a pair of ports which may be used selectively as inlet or outlet ports for the refining chamber formed by the housing sections 40 and 41. In particular, and referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the end cover 44 is constructed to provide therein a pair of volute passages extending in both directions from the bottom of the cover to the top thereof, and these passages in turn connect along the inner surfaces of the supporting member 62 and the ring 60 with the inner periphery of the refining plates 52 on the work plate 50 and their complementary set of refining plates 55 on the rotor 25.

Along its lower side, the end cover 44 is formed to provide a pair of ports 151 and 152 which lead generally tangentially'from the passages 150 and in opposite directions toward the front and back of the machine respectively. The end cover 45 is similarly formed to provide a pair of volute passages 155 and a pair of tangentially extending ports, only the port '156 being seen in Fig. 1. In addition, the lower housing section 40 is provided with a port 158 communicating directly with the space within the housing which radially overlies the rotor 25.

This arrangement of ports as just described provides great versatility in the use of the refiner as well as maximum convenience in the piping connections therewith. For example, either of the ports 151 or 152 may be used as an inlet for stock to be passed between both sets of refining plates 52 and 55 for two-stage refining and ultimate discharge from the port 156 or its companion port at the front of the machine, or the reverse arrangement may be used. With any such arrangement, either the port 151 or 152, the port 158, and either the port 156 or its companion port will be closed as indicated at 159 in Fig. 2.

In another piping arrangement, illustrated in Fig. 9, one of the ports in each end cover 44 and 45 may be used as inlets, in which event the port 158 will form the outlet, and the stock will then be treated in only a single pass between one set of refining plates 52 and 55. This arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 9 by the elbow 160 and the pipes 161 and 162, and the converse arrangement may also be used, with the port 158 forming the inlet. In this event one of the ports in each end cover will provide the outlet as also shown in Fig. 9. With this latter piping arrangement, the stock must be forced against the radial component of the rotor, as is also the case on one side of the rotor when the stock is forced to flow from one end cover to the other as described above.

An important advantage of the end cover construction of the invention when either end cover is used as an inlet is illustrated in Fig. 8, which shows the port 152 as the inlet port connected by elbow 165 to the inlet supply pipe 166. This advantage is that both gravity and the flow pattern of the entering stock tend to direct tramp metal or other heavy reject material toward the unused port 151, and this port may accordingly be connected to a junk trap unit comprising an elbow 170, a first valve- 171, a pipe section 172, a second valve 173 and a discharge pipe 174. In normal operation, the valve 171 will be opened and the valve 173 will be closed, and the heavy reject material will therefore be thrown through the port 151 and elbow 170 into the pipe section '172. At intervals, this reject material is easily removed by shutting valve 171 and then opening valve 173, and this may be done without interference with the normal flow of stock through the refiner. Improved operation is obtained by bleeding the small flow of water into the pipe section 172 just above the valve 173 as shown by the line 175 and valve 176 in Fig. 8.

The port arrangement of the invention as described and shown makes it readily possible to maintain all piping connections in relatively low positions, which in turn makes it relatively simple to brace or otherwise dampen the piping adjacent the machine against the transmission of vibration effects. Also, the inlet and outlet connections to the end covers may be located at either the front or back of the unit as suits the convenience of the installation. A further important advantage contributed to by the port arrangement of the invention is that all changes and adjustments of the refining plates may be carried out without disturbing the piping connections. During such maintenance or servicing operations, it is necessary to remove only the upper housing section 41, which may be done without disturbing either of the end covers 44 and 45 except for removal of the upper group of bolts 46.

Thereafter, complete access may be had to all of the refining plates for servicing or replacement through the exposed upper half of the machine by simply turningthe rotor 25 until all of the refining plates thereon have come successively within reach. The same result is obtained for the work plates 50 and 51 by manual rotation thereof through the hand wheel as already described.

The construction and arrangement of the lubricating system for the bearings for the drive shaft 22 also contribute to the ease of maintenance of the refiners of the invention, and particularly they make it possible to remove and replace the drive shaft without the necessity of changing or disconnecting any lubricating lines or fittings. Thus referring first to Figs. 1 and 10, the thrust bearing assembly 26 for the opposite end of the drive shaft from the rotor 25 includes a Kingsbury thrust hearing 200 and a cone roller thrust bearing.201, both of which are enclosed in a housing sleeve 202 providedwith an end cover 203 and an end plate'204 for retaining the end of the pedestal 20, and a top cover 206 and end cover 207 complete this assembly.

The seat portion 205 of the pedestal 20 is provided with a plurality of lubricant ports for the lines 29, and these ports are shown as a pair of inlet ports 210 and 211 and an outlet port 212 for the bearing 200 and an inlet port 213 and outlet port 214 for the bearing 201. The housing 202 is provided in its outer surface with a similar series of ports 215219 and connecting passages leading to the respective bearings therewithin, and it will be noted that the outlet port 217 for bearing 200 is at the top of housing 202 and connects with the port 212 by way of a circumferential groove 220 in the periphery of the housing to assure that hearing 200 always be full of oil.

The proper positioning of the housing 202 on the seat 205 both angularly and axially for registry of the respective mating ports 210-219 is assured by a pin 221 in the upper surface of the housing which fits within a slot 222 in the cap 206. Proper sealing of the respective ports against direct communication along the outside of the housing 202 is obtained by means of a plurality of O-rings 225 received in circumferential grooves 226 in the housing 202 between each pair of adjacent ports and between the ends of the housing and the ports 215 and 219 respectively. This construction accordingly makes it pos-- sible to remove the drive shaft and its thrust bearing assembly from the pedestal 20 after simply unbolting the cover 206, and when the parts are replaced, all the lubricant ports will automatically be properly aligned and The construction of the radial bearing assembly 27 issimilar with respect to the above characteristics of the thrust bearing assembly 26. Referring to Figs. 1 and 11, the cone roller bearing 230 is mounted in a housing sleeve 232 by means of an end cover" 233 and an annular shoulder 234 within this housing. The pedestal 22 inc1udes a semicylindrical seat portion 235 for receiving the housing 232, and the top cover 236 is bolted to the pedestal similarly to the cover 206.

The seat portion 235 of pedestal 22 is provided with an oil inlet port 240 and an outlet port 241 for a pair of lines 29, and the housing 232 is provided in its outer surface with inlet and outlet ports 242 and 243 as shown. A passage 244 leads from the port 242 to the interior of the bearing 230, and the housing 232 includes a reservoir chamber 245 connecting with the outlet port 243.

The correct angular and axial positioning of the housing 232 on seat 235 is established by a pin 250 in the top of the housing which is received in a slot 251 within the cover 236. Sealing of the lubricant ports against direct communication exteriorly of housing 232 is estab- 7 lished by O-rings 255 received in grooves 256 in the outer surface of: the housing; This bearing assembly may therefore beremoved and replaced with the-drive shaft in the same manner as the assembly 26 after simply removing the cover 236 and without the necessity for handling any lubricant lines or fittings.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to thisprecise form-of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a drive assembly for refining apparatus of the character described, the combination of a drive shaft, a ped'estal'including a seat for supporting said drive shaft, means defining inlet and outlet ports for lubricant extending through said pedestal to said seat, means connected with theouterends of said ports for circulating lubricant to and from said ports, a bearing for said drive shaft, a housing for said bearing adapted to be received on said seat and having lubricant inlet and outlet ports in the outer surface thereof forregistry with the inner ends of the"corresponding said ports in said pedestal, means for securing said housing to said pedestal with said ports in registry, and means cooperating with said housing and said seat to seal said ports against direct communication therebetween outwardly of said housing.

2. In a drive assembly for refining apparatus of the character described, the combination of a drive shaft, a pedestal including a seat for supporting said drive shaft, means defining inlet and outlet ports for lubricant extending through said pedestal to said seat, means connected with the outer ends of said ports for circulating lubricant to and from said ports, a bearing for said drive shaft, a housing for said bearing adapted to be received on said seat and having lubricant inlet and outlet ports for registry with the inner ends of the corresponding said ports in said pedestal, means including a cover cooperating with said seat to secure said housing to said pedestal with said ports in registry, and means forming seals extending circumferentially around said housing for blocking direct communication between said ports along the outside of said housing.

3. In a drive assembly for refining apparatus of the character described, the combination of a drive shaft, a pedestal including a substantially semicylindrical seat for supporting said drive shaft, means defining inlet and outlet ports'for lubricant extending through said pedestal to said seat, means connected with the outer ends of said ports for circulating lubricant to and from said ports, a bearing for said drive shaft, a substantially cylindrical housing for said bearing adapted to be received on said seat and having lubricant inlet and outlet ports for registry with the inner ends of the corresponding said ports in said pedestal, means including a substantially semicylindrical cover cooperating with said seat to secure said housingto' said pedestal, means for indexingsaid housing with said'seat to register said ports with each other, said housing having a circumferential groove in the outer sur facegthereof on each side axially of each of said ports therein, and asealing ring received in each said groove in sealing engagement with said seat and said cover for blocking direct communication between said ports along the'outside of said housing.-

' 4. In a drive assembly for refining apparatus of the character described, the combination of a main base, a drive shaft, a pair of spaced pedestals secured on said base and each including a seat for supporting said driveshaft, drive means connected to said driv shaft between sai'd pedestals, bearingmeans for said drive shaft located at spaced positions thereon for support by said pedestals, a-housingfor each said bearing means, means defining inlet and outlet ports for lubricant extending through each said pedestal to the associated said seat, means connected with the outer" ends of said ports for circulating lubricant to and from said ports, each said housing having lubricant-inlet and outlet ports in the outer surface there of" for registry with the inner ends of the corresponding.

said ports in the adjacent said seat, means for securing said housings to said pedestals with all of said ports in respective registry, and means for sealing against direct communication between any of said ports along the outsides of' said housings.

5. In a drive assembly for refining apparatus of the character described, the combination of a main base, a drive shaft, a pair of spaced pedestals secured on said base for supporting said'drive shaft, a drive motor for said shaft'including a rotor secured thereon between said pedestal and a stator surrounding said rotor and secured to one of said pedestals, bearing means for said drive shaft located at opposite ends of said rotor for support by said pedestals, a housing for each said bearing means, each of said pedestals including a seat for receiving the adjacent said bearing housing thereon, means defining inlet and outlet ports for lubricant extending through each said pedestal to the associated said seat, means connected with the outer ends of said ports for circulating lubricant to and from said ports, each said housing having lubricant inlet and outlet ports in the outer surface thereof for registry with the inner ends of the corresponding said ports in the related said seat, means for securing said housings to said pedestals with all of said ports in respective registry, and means for sealing against direct communication between any of said ports along the outsides of said housings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,906,243 Baninger May 2, 1933 2,717,184. Amerman Sept. 6, 1955 2,770,475 Rafferty Nov. 12, 1956 2,833,601 Guinard May 6, 1958 

